Thursday, July 29, 2010

This has been a glorious day. Bob and I visited the Jardins Luxembourg on the advice of one of our blog readers and this was no disappointment. I need a new gardener! The day was glorious and the gardens were unbelievable. We sat on a bench in the midst of this beauty and soaked up what was around us from the sun to the flowers, the sculptures the water and the people.

Next we made our way via the Metro (I am so proud of us for figuring this out) to Notre Dame. I was not prepared for this experience. Once inside the cathedral I could not stop the tears. Even though there were hundreds of tourists around it was still an intensely personal experience. Bob and I have enough respect for history to know what a building like this means in the course of time. Words can not describe the place. Pictures will do it some justice.

After the Notre Dame we found our way to the oldest bistro in Paris called La Reserve de Quasimodo. This was the perfect little intimate restaurant to settle down and let the church experience pervade us. We sipped old French wines, ate home made French onion soup and quiche epinards. Believe me, real men do eat quiche! Bob loved his. We too are falling in love all over again. What a lucky girl I am to have him in my life. We enjoy so much together.

Next we went to Galleries Lafayette where the French do shopping up right. WE just looked around and sighed.

So tired we didn't even want to go out, we purchased bread and cheese, framboises and a bottle of wine and are having a picnic in our room for the night. We want to be fresh for Kelsey's exhibit tomorrow. Can't wait.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

My feet are killing me. Bob and I started the day with a visit to the Pompidou which is where Bob's favorite artists hang their work. The likes of Francis Bacon, Picasso, Chagall, Matisse, Henri Toulouse Lautrec, Giacometti and Modigliani, Kandinsky and more. Oh my goodness and that was all on one floor! That museum is not pretty from the outside but inside it is a wonderful surprise.

Then we went to lunch at Maxim's where Monsieur Lautrec use to hang out (well there and the Moulin Rouge). The weird thing was that we had to make reservations for lunch here but Bob and I were the only ones' dining. Maybe it's more fun at night but what other man could book the whole of Maxim's for his honey?

We then wandered along the Rue Fauborg and Rue St. Honore where Bob was pretty sure he ran into Ms Demi Moore. I was drooling over a certain outfit in the window of Hermes. Ahhh! Siggghhhh! She went in. I was still drooling.

We enjoyed a delicious smoothie at a small cafe. In that smoothie were fresh raspberries, mango, citrus, banana and something called myrtle. Whatever it was, it was superb.

Next we met Kelsey at the home of Coco Chanel. This location was the place where madame got her business started and made it the success it still is today. It occurs to me when you know how to do something well and you have the passion for it you can make a go of it like nobody's business. Kelsey was very interested in the fashion, fabric, texture and cut of the clothes. I can't wait to see her exhibit on Friday, her last day of classes in Paris.

We then took the Metro (my feet were shot) to the St. Germain district where we had a gorgeous fish dinner at les Deux Magots. The food was perfect and we were so happy us three to have a break together just sitting. I believe this is part of French culture, to sit and savor what you eat. Let's try and remember that.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Tosca here with a brief update of our day. Bob and I visited the Musee D'Orsay which is where you see more modern paintings. The highlights were the works of Vincent Van Gogh especially his self portrait, Edouard Manet and his city life scenes and the most beautiful in my opinion was the Little Ballerina done by Edgar Degas in bronze but with a satin ribbon in her hair, a tulle skirt and a canvas jacket with tiny buttons. I could not stop staring at her. She is so beautiful. I have seen my own Kelsey standing in such a pose many times.

After the museum Bob and I headed over to the Four Seasons George V where Lady Diana had her final stay. What a stunning hotel. What a stunning waste of life. It was eerie to think of her there in that place in her final hours. Little did she know.

Bob and I strolled down the street towards Rue de la Montagne where there was sunshine, lovely shops, beautiful flowers and generally just a lot of nice things. Before long we took a taxi to Sacre Coueur the oldest cathedral in Paris. Of course the place was mobbed but we got the feeling of how special this church is.

Weird to think our next visit was le Moulin Rouge located in the Clichy district which is Paris' version of the Red Light District in Amsterdam. We took a little train through Montmartre and now we are back in the hotel for a rest before dinner with Kelsey.

Monday, July 26, 2010

What a wonderful day in Paris. Bob and I slept 13 hours and took on this day with fervor. We began at the Tour Eiffel getting there using Le Metro. We two figured out how to get our NaviGo passes and put ourselves on the correct lines to arrive at the proper location. Of course the Eiffel Tower was mobbed even at the early hour but it was fantastic to see this awe inspiring structure up close. This is indeed a memorable place.

Afterwards we walked across the Pont des Invalides and towards the Champs Elysees. This is a street requiring no introduction. It gave us magnificent and bewildering sights at the same time. At one end was the Arc de Triomphe and the monster original home of Louis Vuitton. In between were the beggars. It is not something I ever get used to. One such image I have included here not because I find it so beautiful but because I think the fight to emancipate women should never stop. This young woman who was no more than possibly 15 or 16 laid on the street with her head bowed holding a cup out to strangers. It bothered me because I know full well much of the money she collects will not go to her but to her handlers. Still to see human beings putting themselves through this humiliation is difficult to see.

After walking the length of the Champs Elysees we came to the Tuilleries and the Louvre. Of course we followed the crowds to see Da Vinci's Mona Lisa. It was impossible to get close to her not only because there were hundreds trying to do the same but because she is protected from the public by bullet proof glass and a rope keeping folks a good 15 feet away. She is magnificent however. What a master her painter was! Could he have imagined this chaos those hundreds of years ago over his painting? I doubt it. We enjoyed the other treasures the Louvre had to offer but no one can do the grand museum in a day.

Next we met up with Kelsey at Le Printemps. We enjoyed tea at Laduree which is a French institution where they do tea and all things sweet particularly macaroons. This is a high end department store where we wandered about for a while and then we went to a bistro style supper at L'Ogres where the cote du bouef really is a side of beef! The serving was enormous. Oh and does any French meal end without dessert? I thought not.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Our first day in Paris was exciting and discombobulated too. We had arranged to meet Kelsey, my daughter who has been here studying for the last 3 weeks, at 3:00 pm at the L'Ouvre. Bob and I dutifully left the hotel at 2:30 thinking that would be plenty of time to get where we had to go. Oh but did we mention the Tour de France (www.tourdefrance.com) was finishing today and that the entire route from our hotel to the L'Ouvre was closed to traffic for the cycling phenoms? How frustrating was it then to learn that Kelsey was on one side of the Champs Elysees right across from us and we were on the other? You got it! There were screaming fans everywhere and us trying to work out how to go across the street with jet lagged befuddled brains.

Finally we managed to work our way through the huge crowds and mania that is the Tour and find my Kelsey standing there as if she had lived in Paris all her life complete with Breton stripes on. We did our usual mother daughter canoodling and catching up on details and then went in search of a cafe where we could talk quietly. Bob was happy to find a chair and dig into "un sandwich de jambon." Kels and I had a lovely fluffy omelet.

I am impressed with Kelsey's knowledge of the city after only 3 weeks. She even managed to put us on the subway and get us home without getting lost. Tomorrow we will meet for dinner after her classes and after Bob and I have explored le Musee D'Orsay, rue St. Honore and rue St. Germain.

Bob and I are here in Paris after having travelled all night. Luckily I passed out and slept for the entire trip, no easy task when your knees are up to your ears and your upper body is ramrod straight. But I managed much to Bob's dismay as he did not sleep a wink. I was so out of it I didn't realize we were landing. I quickly jumped up to pee and of course met a fan in the line up. She looked fresh as a daisy but moi? Not so much. From the surgery point of view it was probably good that I slept sitting up because I am much less swollen now.

Hey my tummy is much better. Your advice which I greedily accepted helped tons. Between the Bio-K and Probifia acidophilus pearls my stomach is now flat. Oh god! Did I pollute the air in the plane all night in my sleep. Je m'excuse! I hope not! Thank you all for your amazing advice and speedy recovery to those who have also had surgery. I'm right here with you!

We are sitting in the hotel lobby waiting for our room - Bah! But at least we had some breakfast. I had not eaten since noon yesterday. I really am taking a break from Eating Clean while in Paris! Poor Bob. He is so tired I met him in the women's loo. Yep! So there I am freshening up and Bob is in the restroom looking at me funny. He says "What are you doing in the men's room?" I point to the sign that says Dames. He sheepishly grins and beelines it out of there before any ladies besides me notice.

We are waiting for a room here at the hotel and more exciting than that we are waiting to see Kelsey. She is meeting us at the hotel and we will head out to museum with her. I can't wait to hug her up!

Saturday, July 24, 2010

The doctor's visit went well yesterday with my incisions looking clean and my girls looking smaller. Of course there is still swelling mainly at my sides but I am impressed by the fact that there are so few cuts. The healing seems to be going well. I am going to have to remove my own sutures while I am in Paris but I can't imagine that will be difficult.

My big complaint is that I think the antibiotics are destroying my digestive system. My stomach is so distended it looks like I am 6 months pregnant. The doctor put me on Keflex and ever since I started taking it I feel terrible. That is why I am up instead of sleeping. I am so uncomfortable. If anyone has any advice on how to deal with this I would be most grateful.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

After a long and much needed sleep, I awoke this morning feeling pretty good. Although the doc sent me home with 2 Percocet I found that Tylenol Extra Strength is just fine for me. I don't want to overdo the drugs. Interestingly I discovered that there were only 2 incisions in total, one for each breast and just around the nipple. The implants must have been removed and replaced through the nipple. It hurts to think about it so I won't. But I am pleasantly surprised that the surgery was minimally invasive.

I am eating well, back to my normal oats, berries and egg whites and feeling great. A wee bit tired but otherwise not bad. I do have an incredible thirst however and I have no idea what that is about. Anybody out there know? I thought it might be related to the anesthetic.

As for the sports bra, I think that is just temporary. At least for a week there are to be no regular bras. So I am wearing the LuLuLemon Y Bra which is comfortable but definitely not uplifting. Who cares? I will just do it and let the Parisians see me with unsupported breasts right?

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

It has been a long day for me as you might imagine. Today was RE/RE day. In surgical terms that means reduce and replace. So you know I always come clean with you and this is no exception. I wrote yesterday that I was fed up with large implants and wished to change them. That is what I did today - well I didn't do it, my doc did. Here is how it went.

Undergoing surgery of course means anesthetic and that means eating nothing! After the sour cherries and the fresh blueberries yesterday at 9:00 pm I didn't eat a thing until 5:00 pm. That's 20 hours with no food which for a Clean Eating gal is torture. I was starving and thirsty! OOOh and a little bit cranky I must admit.

Anyway I arrived at the doctor's office and entered the surgical suites where I was prepped for surgery - the usual paper work had be signed and various questions were asked to assess my current state of health. The doc comes in and draws lines all over the breasts to give him guidelines of what he must do. He takes pictures. I had a frank discussion with him because my goal here was to have a moderate looking bustline not a show girl look. We made a decision to go from 225 cc's to 125 cc's. It wasn't long after that I walked over to the OR and was greeted by a team of nurses and the anesthesiologist. Would you believe it! One of the nurses knew who I was. I guess she got up close and personal with all my bits and this is why I am so honest about all of what I do. You can never get away with anything less!

Two hours later I was up and heading to the potty all by myself with brand new, smaller boobs. Would you believe I felt lighter already. I am so excited to see what they look like when the swelling goes down and the incisions heal. I am a good healer so I expect it won't take long. I am taking some naturopathic supplements as per Rachel's recommendations. For those of you who don't know she is my daughter who is studying to be a naturopath. I am taking arnica to reduce swelling, Co-Q10 for antioxidant power, Traumeel to encourage wound healing, MSM for healing and extra protein also for healing. Right now I feel tired and am heading for bed soon. I just wanted to share my experience with you.

Going forward my doctor insisted on my wearing a sports bra day and night. No underwires!! I am going to give all my bras to a second hand store because I won't need them anymore. Yeah! Away with the old and in with my pile of sports bras. I can't train for a week but that is perfect because Bob and I leave for our vacation to Paris to visit Kelsey-Lynn on Saturday. I am really going to take a break.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

I just had a fantastic open water swim with my coworker and friend, Wendy. We swam about 1400 meters in a beautiful Caledon Lake. Her parents paddled in the paddleboat beside us for safety. I sure felt better having them there! Wendy and I kept a good pace and really enjoyed the conditions - sunshine, warm lake water and a beautiful environment. You can't beat these Canadian lakes! After our swim Wendy and I picked and ate sour cherries from her tree. Then I went home and picked fresh blueberries from my bushes. So delicious!

This will be my last swim or run for a few days as tomorrow morning I am going to be in surgery. For some time now I have been considering downsizing my implants. When I competed in my triathlon I realized how silly, unnecessary and uncomfortable large implants are. Well I am no Pamela Anderson but still! So off I go. I am changing from 225 cc's to 125 cc's. I hope this will be the last time. No more surgery for me. The look I am hoping for is what I have been fondly calling "fashion boobs." I hope you all will bear with me as I go under construction. If you want to know how it all went down, let me know. I will share.

Monday, July 19, 2010

I promised you pictures from the Atlanta show and here they are. In these shots you will see Stacy Kennedy and I at the judges' table, Kendall Woods and I on stage addressing the audience before the seminar, our 63 year old grandmother Ruby who won the figure category (age be damned!) and a stage jam packed with fit men. The women were so fit and fabulous it made me want to get my posing suit on too - well maybe after a few weeks of dieting! These contestants worked hard to get contest ready. I salute everyone!

The RKP team is back from Atlanta. What a long day it was for us all on Saturday. I was up at 5:45 am to get ready for a fun breakfast where I met Eating Clean fans Rhonda, Andrea, Susan and Nicole among the many. We dined on good old oatmeal and egg whites (not in the same bowl) and a cup of coffee. These women shared powerful stories with me about their lives and how Eating Clean has been a much needed source of strength for them.

Kendall Woods did a fantastic job of running and hosting the event. I don't know how anybody does this job - there are so many details involved. He hung in there and is already talking about doing it again next year. Go Kendall!

After breakfast we headed over to the Gwinnett Centre where the contest was happening. Pre-judging started at 9:00 am and the day did not end until 1030 pm! These shows do tend to go long. My feet were killing me - I wore heels for most of the day. Ouch!